Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers
Can you apply?
This grant is for academic medical centers, research institutions, and schools of medicine, nursing, and allied health professions that want to establish or strengthen interdisciplinary research and training centers focused on aging and older Americans' independence. The program supports centers that conduct research on factors affecting functional independence in older persons, develop innovative interventions, and train the next generation of researchers and clinicians. Geographic scope is nationwide, and applicants must be domestic institutions with organizational capacity to host a multidisciplinary center. Eligible activities include basic and clinical research, training programs, dissemination of research findings, and provision of clinical services that advance understanding of how to maintain independence and improve quality of life for older adults.
Key dates
- Apr 28, 2026 Applications open
- Sep 25, 2027 Application deadline in 481 days
- Jul 1, 2028 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2028 Project start
This grant is for academic medical centers, research institutions, and schools of medicine, nursing, and allied health professions that want to establish or strengthen interdisciplinary research and training centers focused on aging and older Americans' independence. The program supports centers that conduct research on factors affecting functional independence in older persons, develop innovative interventions, and train the next generation of researchers and clinicians. Geographic scope is nationwide, and applicants must be domestic institutions with organizational capacity to host a multidisciplinary center. Eligible activities include basic and clinical research, training programs, dissemination of research findings, and provision of clinical services that advance understanding of how to maintain independence and improve quality of life for older adults.
Program description
The National Institute on Aging intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) award. The goal of the OAIC program is to establish centers of excellence in geriatrics research and research education to increase scientific knowledge leading to better ways to maintain or restore independence in older persons. OAIC awards are designed to develop or strengthen programs that focus on, and sustain progress in, a key area of aging research related to the mission of the OAIC program. Applicants should identify an area of focus in which progress could contribute to greater independence for substantial populations of older persons and offer opportunities for education in aging research. This area of focus should be a common theme around which all proposed OAIC activities are organized.
Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the P30 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of aging research are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for academic medical centers, research institutions, and schools of medicine, nursing, and allied health professions that want to establish or strengthen interdisciplinary research and training centers focused on aging and older Americans' independence. The program supports centers that conduct research on factors affecting functional independence in older persons, develop innovative interventions, and train the next generation of researchers and clinicians. Geographic scope is nationwide, and applicants must be domestic institutions with organizational capacity to host a multidisciplinary center. Eligible activities include basic and clinical research, training programs, dissemination of research findings, and provision of clinical services that advance understanding of how to maintain independence and improve quality of life for older adults.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NIH Form SF-424 (R&R) or equivalent grant application form
- Project narrative/research plan (typically 15-25 pages)
- Budget and budget justification
- Biographical sketches of key personnel (NIH format)
- Institutional support and commitment letters from institutional leadership
- Letters of support from collaborating departments, schools, and partner organizations
- Resource sharing plans (data, equipment, facilities)
- Facilities and administrative information
- Human subjects protection documentation (if applicable)
- Vertebrate animals protection documentation (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 National Institute on Aging
- 📧 NIA-NOFO-Scientific@nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail.
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.866 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$463,372,200
-
$172,327,224
-
$115,145,694
-
$99,649,073
-
$93,275,174
-
$78,657,309
-
$75,825,492
-
$75,398,895
-
$70,985,470
-
$64,812,576
Top States by Funding
- MI 2 awards $511.9M
- CA 8 awards $511.1M
- MO 8 awards $437.0M
- IN 4 awards $303.9M
- PA 6 awards $298.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.866). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $3,746,886,731 | |
| 2025 | $3,777,464,644 | |
| 2026 est. | $261,814,471 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Academic medical centers, research universities, schools of nursing and allied health, and other domestic institutions with demonstrated research capacity and institutional support for aging-focused work. Applicants typically must have NIH institutional support and existing research infrastructure.
What is the deadline and application process?
The application opens April 28, 2026. Specific submission deadlines and mechanisms should be verified through NIH Grants.gov or the National Institute on Aging (NIA) website, as NIH typically offers multiple submission windows per year.
What types of activities and research are supported?
The program funds interdisciplinary research centers addressing aging and independence, including basic research, clinical studies, health services research, training programs for researchers and clinicians, and pilot/feasibility projects that advance independence in older populations.
How competitive is this grant and what's the typical funding level?
This is a moderately to highly competitive NIH center grant. Awards typically range from $500,000 to over $2 million annually depending on center scope, with multi-year funding cycles (usually 5 years renewable).
What makes an application stand out?
Strong applications demonstrate institutional commitment, experienced multidisciplinary leadership, a compelling research agenda aligned with aging independence priorities, evidence of community partnerships or patient engagement, and a clear training plan for developing future researchers in gerontology.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start early: Center grants require substantial planning, institutional letters of support, and coordination among multiple departments. Begin planning at least 6 months before the deadline.
- Build a strong multidisciplinary team: Include faculty from medicine, nursing, social work, rehabilitation, and other relevant disciplines. Show how their expertise complements the center's research and training mission.
- Demonstrate institutional commitment: Secure explicit commitment letters from senior leadership detailing financial support, space, administrative resources, and strategic alignment with the institution's research priorities.
- Connect to NIA research priorities: Align your center's focus with current National Institute on Aging strategic priorities, which typically emphasize interventions to maintain independence, cognitive health, and health disparities in aging.
- Include robust training components: Detail mentorship plans, career development pathways, and mechanisms for recruiting and supporting early-career scientists and clinicians, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail due to insufficient institutional infrastructure documentation or weak letters of support, lack of a cohesive multidisciplinary research plan that truly integrates across departments, and failure to articulate how the proposed center advances independence-specific research beyond general aging studies. Additionally, applicants may underestimate the importance of community partnerships and clinical workforce integration in demonstrating center sustainability and real-world impact.
Similar grants
- OPEN 27-0343-10 FFY27 Local Agency General Non-Enforcement — Illinois Department of Transportation
- ROLLING Annual Agency Threshold Application Applicants for Funding Start Here — Texas City of Austin - Austin Public Health
- CLOSED Virginia’s Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Grant – FY26 — Virginia The Virginia Department of Historic Resources
- ROLLING RTAP Grant Program (Rolling) — Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
- ROLLING Rail Industrial Access Grant (RIA) — Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation